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My Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
My wife and I never realized how much our lives revolved around our dog Benny, especially after becoming quite handicapped due to Degenerative Myelopathy (ALS for dogs). He depended on us for almost everything. Pet owners understand the basic commitment to having a pet – always accounting for them when you go out or go away for a time – who will let them out, feed them, keep them company? That commitment goes through the roof if the pet becomes handicapped, but you just get used to it.
When the pet is gone, all that time spent caring for them is now freed up, and you feel a bit lost. The sadness for missing part of your family now compounded by lack of being needed so much. We just attended a funeral for a church friend who passed after a long battle with cancer, and I can’t imagine those same feelings amplified exponentially for the surviving spouse. Humans find great comfort in routine (even difficult or painful routines), and now your life – your routines – are completely upset and you’re not sure what to do.
Thank God for our hope in Jesus Christ! Our God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He does not change like shifting shadows – we can always rely on Him. And in these times of feeling lost, we have our church family, and all those we serve with in various ministries, to remind us with their presence and their words that we are not alone, God’s got this, and we’re going to be OK. When we’re centered on Christ, we’ve got the ultimate firm foundation. I can’t imagine living this life without the Hope of Christ. And isn’t that God’s heart? For us to seek out the hopeless and introduce them to Jesus? That’s our goal every week in the prison, and someday in heaven we may find out just how many we helped. And all that happens when bathed in prayer, and we so appreciate what all of you do each week, lifting up this ministry, the chaplains, the volunteers, and the inmates. Prayer is critical – thank you for filling that need. God bless you!
Grace and Peace,
Rick
Prayer Requests from last Thursday (12:00 Chapel Service, plus Inmate 1-1 sessions):
- Eugene– sick at home with flu (from my granddaughter Journei).
- Kenneth– me and Taja to keep seeking the Lord and keep building, our kids, all the volunteers, and all our families.
- Javier– family
- Cotton– to be home for my Daughter’s birthday (Serena, on Sept 2)
- Roland D– praise that more guys showed up this week, and pray for even more next week.
- Joshua– for me, and for my Mom, my Dad died a few months ago from cancer.
- Kenny– for an older Muslim guy back on the block that I’ve been talking to, that he would come to know Jesus. For my cellmate who switched from Christianity to Muslim (probably for protection since he’s known as a snitch), for God to give me the right words when I talk to these guys. Pray my family and friends doing well, my time to go smooth and fast, and pray for everyone to get a second chance through Jesus.
Prayer Requests from Medium Security (7:00pm Monday service):
- John– God bring us home to our families soon.
- Travis– for wisdom, knowledge, and understanding.
- Joseph– all the lost souls in the world.
- Jon– my family, my kids, our court dates – may God show His mercy and grace – and when we get out that our minds would be renewed, and protect us from the devil’s schemes that try to pull us back in.
- José– my family, my friends, my own life.
- Tim– for family, and that my appeal process goes well.
- Dan T– for God to show me the right opportunity to witness to my brother-in-law, and for him to finally accept Christ.
- Rick C– praise that my daughter and son-in-law finally able to purchase a house (offer accepted), and pray that his old house will sell quickly.
Prayer Requests from Minimum Security (8:30pm Monday service)
- Dimitrius– boldly pray for court system to release me by May 15, pray for my family, 3 kids, their mothers (Melissa and Tenisha) and pray for Angela.
- Jeremy– my health, suffered from meth addiction 10 years, for my 3 kids to have a better future.
- Shawn– my release, brothers back on the block, protection and safety of our families.
- José– my 3 kids, Mom and Dad’s health, that I can go to work release center soon.
- Garrett– my family, my kids and their moms, a brighter future, all the men in here to get back safe to families.
- Luis– my wife, my little girl, my boys, my Mother, and for me.
- Javier– my wife, son, myself, everyone in here, all our court cases.
- Elizer– for the volunteers, my family, and thanks for so many seats filled in here tonight.
- Eric– family, wife and 5 kids, everyone in here to be released, and for the volunteers.
- Andy D– for Ryan and his family to get over the stomach bug (health and healing).
- Jeremiah– my children, and a better tomorrow.
- José #2– my family, brother, wife, and mother.
- Donny– my family
- Kevin– thank you God for what you are doing in my life
- Matt R– my father-in-law Gerald was hospitalized with pneumonia. Thankful for his healing from throat cancer but now issues with eating/swallowing, and food gets in lungs causing pneumonia, they recommend feeding tube but he’s fighting it.
Prayer Requests from Onesimus Ministries
- Effective planning and organizing of our prison ministry benefit concert on May 16 at Grace Covenant Church in Exton.
- Continued blessings upon prison Chaplains – Rhonda, Heinrich, Jack – and their families.
- Our dedicated volunteers, serving inside prison or behind the scenes.
- Staff and Leadership inside the prison, and their families.
- Resolution of Prison staffing issues.
- The inmates and their families who are also “doing time”.
- All the Aftercare ministries and post-prison support organizations across Chester County.
If you’d like to find out more about mentoring and discipling a man or woman coming out of prison, drop us a note at outreach@onesimusministries.org.
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